Closing the circle...

We spent last night in Galesville, MD.  A very few of you might remember that we bought our boat in Galesville almost 3 years ago.  Our return last night completes a circle of buying the boat, returning it to Lake Erie, and now returning to Galesville after going south through Florida and the Bahamas.  The main reason I wanted to return was to see if our friend Spike was still there.  Spike is a mechanic who did some work on our boat after we bought it, and was a source of informational help on our delivery back to Lake Erie.  Spike was still around and we had a nice visit, catching up on what we had both been doing for the last couple of years.

 

 

Our friend Spike.  I told him he needs to relax a bit.  I also wanted him to mount
the AC unit in our boat.

 

We are at the very top of the Chesapeake now.  Tomorrow should see us out in Delaware Bay on our way back out to the Atlantic.

 

From the "Odds & Ends" department:

 

A couple of mornings ago we noticed what looked to be scores of small plastic bags in the water when we were picking up the anchor.  A closer look showed them to be jelly fish.  Just another reason why we won't be swimming in the Chesapeake!

 

Sue pointed out that we will be able to go swimming once we get back to Lake Erie.  And I think if it gets hot enough I see no reason we can't swim in the Erie Canal.

 

For the first time in months the exhaust water from the diesel looks like it came out of the tap, and not like tea (brown).

 

We are in a distinct minority now of distance cruising boats.  You can tell the distance cruisers by the extra fuel and water containers on deck, and the tannin moustaches.  The "weekenders" are all shiny and clean - both the boats and the people.  One of the other cruising boats the last 2 nights was a boat we first met in the Bahamas several months - small world.

 

A couple of days ago we passed the Patuxent River Naval Air Station where the navy (you didn't think I was going to say Air Force) tests some of their new planes.  I would show you some pictures but their stealth technology is so good they don't show up on film.

 

Summer weekends on the Chesapeake are a real zoo.  Sailboats all over the place, and some of the rudest power boaters we've seen in a while.

 

A small section of the fish stakes.  The first time we came through here it was
getting dark with rain and waves.  Luckily we saw them and figured a way around.

This is the Potomac River.  Right behind the sailboat, about a hundred miles upstream
 you can just see the top of the Washington Monument.